Author Topic: The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019  (Read 1752 times)

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019
« on: 23 September, 2019, 02:26:26 pm »
Paris just gets in the way of everyone's thinking and before you know it the old season's done, points totted up, awards awarded — and the new season begins with a flurry.

First off is Tomsk's running of The Richard Ellis Memorial 100 and 200 rides the first Saturday in October — I'll see many of you at the first control, stamping brevets.  Then a breather — I'll be in Wales. 

And then it's The Cambridge Autumnals — two late-year/early-season, very sociable rides from Girton, Cambridge, back to the third Saturday in October  :thumbsup:

The 200km Cambridge Autumnal heads due east to the historic and picturesque castle-and-market town of Framlingham in Suffolk, as frequented at about 2am on the Dunwich Dynamo.  The first stage is a straight 101km stage via Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Debenham to Framlingham, but you can pass straight through without stopping and carry on all the way to Fram without putting a foot down (this has been achieved, on fixed-wheel, no less!).  After a light lunch (or a heavy one if that takes your fancy), the return route gets a little lumpier with a crossways return via Stowmarket to the Maglia Rosso bike shop + café in Hawstead.  It's then a laney run all the way back to Balsham and Fulbourn descent back to Cambridge.  Just two commercial controls, one of which will hopefully have someone stamping, and zero infos.  Details for the 200 here.

The 100km Cambridge Autumnal climbs up onto the chalk massif via Six Mile Bottom and heads fairly directly to the first control at Great Thurlow, where someone will be stamping cards.  The next stage hits a series of very narrow, deserted lanes to cross from Suffolk to Essex, visits everyone's favourite medieval Thaxted and heads on to the historic market town of Saffron Walden for lunch.  The return is over a couple of noticeable climbs to Balsham, and one info control, to then blast down the 7km descent to Fulbourn and Cambridge.  We think this is a delightful route for those not yet confident at 200km in possibly wintry conditions — although who knows, it may be sunny!  8)  One card-stamper, two commercial controls, one info.  Details for the 100 here.

These are ideal rides to give the winter bike a shakedown, as the routes are straightforward and will be vaguely challenging only if the weather's up, and scenic in the sense of having lots of scenery (but not hilly).  We've ridden both routes many times on fixed-gear, and both are fixed-friendly, if your winter-steed's a fixie  ;)

We will be serving light refreshments at the start, and something hot with plenty of Ewa's homemade cake at the arrivée  :thumbsup:

As always, the start is easy to get to by train from London and the 8am start of the 200 allows enough time for London-based riders to catch the first train from King's Cross.  Girton is also easy to get to by car.  Hopefully many will simply cycle to the start.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019
« Reply #1 on: 09 October, 2019, 03:03:13 pm »
A quick update:  Ewa and I are in the "hmm, what cakes should we bake?" phase, which is my favourite part*  ;)

Hmm, looking at the weather forecast for these events it looks like there might be some, just not very much, which would make a nice change — "warm and dry" compared to previous years  ;D

Still plenty of space on both events, but don't leave it too late.




* actually second-favourite to the cake-eating part, but exciting in the anticipation  8)
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019
« Reply #2 on: 09 October, 2019, 10:04:07 pm »
I'm in for the 100k. Last time I rode, I think the route went further up the A road and over the A11. Was that for a diversion owing to road works or something?

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019
« Reply #3 on: 09 October, 2019, 11:15:46 pm »
Yes: the road under the A11 at Six Mile Bottom was closed a few years ago for bridge repair works, so the route climbed over the A11 towards Newmarket, before turning back towards the original planned route. 

No such problem this year — climb up from Six Mile Bottom and then Alex will mark your card in Gt Thurlow bus stop  :thumbsup:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019
« Reply #4 on: 20 October, 2019, 07:53:34 am »
A Ivey ride yesterday, and a treat doing one of Nicks events without a named storm battering us!

Really liked the final stint from Ross's to the finish, with an impressive double sunset,

Amazing cakes as always too, many thanks to Nick, Alex and Ewa

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: The Cambridge Autumnals 200 + 100 – Sat 19 October 2019
« Reply #5 on: 31 October, 2019, 10:28:49 am »
And (for people not on BookFace), here's a link to a selection of photos from the event. Feel free to share, re-use. etc. :

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=interestingness-desc&safe_search=1&text=camautumnal2019&view_all=1